snip
thanks for that advice, you are obviously experienced with them, the
kickback was only a little one.. it just made me realise that the PPE
is not really optional, like you are saying. Don't want to end up with
a chainsaw stuck in my head really.

Si


oops bad form/ stupidity .. mine is the Husqvarna 136 not a stihl
one.. as you were..

No problem.
Makes little difference whether it's Stihl, Husqvarna or Joe Bloggs. A saw
chain does not differentiate between wood, body parts etc. and takes no
prisoners. You wouldn't use a blunt Stanley or bread knife. Imagine either
of those working at, IIRC, 80 m/sec!
I would very highly recommend a Stihl saw; no connection btw, just a very
satisfied user of many years.
They are well designed and well made. Not the cheapest but will still be
operating at peak when others have bitten the dust, given care and
attention. Perhaps of interest, certainly to me, is that parts are readily
obtainable even for machines 20+ years old.
Just a couple of comments on Stihl saws generally which are entirely my own
preferences: I don't much like the quick tensioner, I've found it can slip
and allow the chain to slacken (when it gets a little worn after several
hundred hours use) but not dangerously so. I much prefer to slacken 1 or 2
nuts and use a screw tensioner, this takes but a few seconds and gives one a
better feel for the chain tension. Picco chains are excellent when sharp but
dull rapidly and the geometry is such that precise hand sharpening is not
easy. I use Oregon chains and sharpening eqpt on all our saws.
Standardisation aids my old grey cells immensely.
Good luck, hope you make lots of chips for many years.
N